Mr. President , i yield theen floor and notice an absence of coram. In moments the democrats left the Senate Consent to take up and pass several measures that would immediately help American Workers and American Families cope with the impacts of the coronavirus. Including paid sick leave for workers. Emergency Unemployment Insurance and much needed assistance to states overburdened by medicaid costs. These provisions are all included in legislation that will soon be passed by the house. Many of these policies have already been enacted by other countries, dealing more successfully with the coronavirus in our country is. These policies are targeted directly at the workers and families impacted by its a spread. They are not going to the big wealthy corporations or powerful people or wealthy people, they are going right at the workers and families the average working people who need the help. Now the republican later this morning, called these provisions quote and ideological wish list. President trump, referred to them as goodies. If helping a construction worker who was laid off as a result of the virus is an part of an ideological wish list, then god help those who believe that. If giving infected workers paid sick leave is a goodie, then god help those who think that. If making sure our states, localities, hospitals, and First Responders are compensated for their efforts is ideological, is a goodie, those who believe those things have lost touch with the needs and aspirations of the American People. And they need to talk to some real people who have been impacted by the coronavirus instead of sitting in their ideological towers. With the comments made by the president and the republican leader, they have revealed their own ideology that even in a time of public crisis and need, the president and republican leader are more willing to entertain Corporate Tax cuts and bailing out industries then helping American Workers and families. The senate should pass these bills today. The republican leader should not be sending the senate home for the weekend without taking action to the people who are or soon will be hurting. And so mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the schumer bill that is at the desk, that the bill be considered red three times in past and the motion to be reconsidered considered, made, and laid upon the table with no intervening action for debate. Is there objection question works. Se mr. President ,. Senator from nebraska. Mr. Present reserving the right to reject, this concept is under discussion and it is a centerpiece of negotiation between the House Democrat and secretary mentioned that are ongoing. This chamber will be in session next week to make sure we are taking needed actions to appropriately respond to the coronavirus. I object. Mr. President. Objection is heard. Mr. Later. Mr. President i ask a ghost s3 497 submitted earlier today that the bill be considered red three time and pass. And the motion to reconsider beacons that are made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. Is there objection . Mr. President. So center from nebraska. Mr. President reserving to reject this is also under negotiation and centerpiece of negotiations between democrats and center mnuchin which are ongoing. This chamber will e be on session next week to make sure we are taking needed actions to appropriately respond to the coronavirus. Therefore i object. Objection is heard. Senator from washington. Thank you, mr. President. Mr. President this is simple, we need people who are sick to stay home if we have any hope of slowing the spread of this virus. But today, one in four privatesector workers in our country cannot stay home from work without losing a days pay or potentially a job. Mr. President we have to fight this virus with everything weve got. Every single one of us. And that means we have to have help people make the right choices for themselves, their families and their committees. Our bill will give all employees of 14 paid sick days immediately, today. Not next week, not the week heafter, today and Public Health emergencies like o this one. In addition to allow seven, meaning it would help workers and committees right now. I urge senate republicans, treat this like the Public Health crisis it is. Allow parents, businesses, committees have the peace of mind to know we are acting today and take this urgent needed step. This is nothing short of a chance to save lives and byy desperately needed time to fight this virus. Please dont waste it. Therefore mr. President , i ask unanimous consent that help committee be discharged from further consideration of s3415, this is a bill that will allow americans to earn paid sick time so they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families. Let the senate proceed to its immediate consideration, the bill be considered red a third time and pass, and the motion to reconsider beacons to made and laidr upon the table with no intervening action or debate. So is there objection question works. He mr. President. Senator from nebraska. Reserving the right to object. We have a paid family lead provision in law already. Andho the rules are in place from treasury. We received those in september. I worked on this provision during tax reform and i would certainly be happy to work with the senator from washington and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle in a bipartisan manner to extend the program that we have in law already that will help families. This is a Public Health emergency, it is ready, it is they are, we need to work on it together. Therefore i object. Objection is heard. Senator from nebraska. Mr. President i rise today to call up and pass legislation to keep the American People safe. The number of corona virus cases in the United States is nowni over 1000 including ten confirmed cases in my home state of nebraska. In china, there are over 80000 cases, and over 3000 people have died. The city where the virus originated has been on lockdown since last january. Quarantining an unprecedented 56 Million People. Italy, a country of 60 Million People is completely shut down. The World Health Organization has now declared that this outbreak is a pandemic. Meaning, it will likely spread to all countries on earth. Doctor fauci echoed this yesterday in his testimony on the House Oversight committee. We will see more cases and things will continue to get worse. As a virus spreads our Healthcare Providers and Emergency Responders are at the forefront of this health crisis. Once someone tests positive for this disease, our Emergency Responders are the first ones, they are transporting them to the hospital. At the hospital, medical personnel, doctors, nurses, technicians,wo they are all working around the clock to provide lifesaving care and treat this illness. These people, our Healthcare Providers and Emergency Responders, need access to the proper equipment so they can stay healthy. We can take action right here, right now, to make sure that happens. I introduce this bipartisan bill with the senior senator from arizona. It would update our current law to make sure healthcare workers and First Responders have access to respiratory protective devices. Specifically standard and 95. Under current law, the federal government can give targeted Liability Protection to people and entities to make, distribute, and administer a jet administer certain drugs and equipment that are needed and a Public Health emergency. While surgical and 95s are eligible for thiss protection, standard and 95s are not. That does not make sense. It does not make sense for two reasons. First, these devices are the same when it comes to protecting against airborne contaminants. Like we are dealing with for coronavirus. And second, the cdc has issued guidance, listing standard and 95s among the recommended products for use in this emergency. That makes it more difficult for the people and entities supplying, distributing and manufacturing this equipment to do so we need to change hathat. We need to make sure that these devices are readily available and this legislation bipartisan support in this body. N support in it t has by partisan support in the house it was introduced by my colleague from nebraska, congressman don bacon. That white house supports it, Vice President pentz said on tuesday this legislation is quote important to ensure that our healthcare workers are properly protected and outfitted. I mentioned that this bill has bipartisan support. I wanted to be clear that our hard fought progress on this legislation would not have been made if it werent for the tireless work of my good friend, the senior senator from arizona. So i thank her for her efforts and her partnership. Mr. President , we know the coronavirus is moving fast and we owe it to americans to Healthcare Providers and our First Responders for fighting to stay away ahead of this. Therefore, i ask unanimous consent that the committee on health be discharged from further consideration of s 3372, and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. I ask unanimous consent that the fisher substitute amendments, at the desk, be agreed to, the bill is amended to be considered red the third time and pass, and that the motion to reconsider beacons made and laid upon the table. So is objection . Mr. President. Senator from hawaii. Two mr. President reserving the right to object, i certainly appreciate what my colleague from nebraska trying to a do. We are all working to do what we can to make sure that our medical professional facilities and the public have all the necessary equipment they need to address this pandemic. My concern with my colleagues proposal as i understand it is that is providing immunity for respirator manufacturers from this point forward. Yes, this is a public emergency and we need to respond accordingly. We certainly need to make sure respiratorys are widely available. But lets do this with safety in mind. I think we can come up with a bill that provides a more tailored approach to what my colleague is trying to do. So for example, the house corona virus package includes language what tracks the coven 19 emergency counter members declaration issued that entends through, extend countermeasures protections through 2024 rather than being open ended. Colleague will work with me to it expand the access to this important equipment. But for now, i must object. And i certainly would like to ncount myself as among those who will providehi bipartisan support for this measure. But for now, because it is totally open ended i must object. So objection is heard. Center from nebraska. Mr. President , this bill is something we should all agree upon. Other medical device facilities, manufacturers, currently have this protection. When there is a public emergency. Theypr currently enjoy this protection. But this thin band of manufacturers, this then the band that provides these and 95s, which our Healthcare Providers need, which i talked to my First Responders, my firemen who were here this week, and told them about this bill. They said we need this. We are transporting people to hospitals and in omaha nebraska the Omaha Fire Department has p picked up twice of american citizens who were flown from china to be at camp ashland, a National Guard facility between lincoln and omaha and quarantined there. Fortunately, all are healthy, all is fine. Omaha also received 15, i think it was 15 people from a cruise ship and all of those people were not fine. And these First Responders, these firemen from omaha transported them to a world renowned facility. The university of nebraska medical center. But they did not have the roproper protection because we are arguing over something that other medicaled device providers currently have protection on during a Public Health crisis. I understand that my friends on the other side want to make progress on this issue, on other issues, but that should not stand in the way of getting this done. There is a shortage of respirators, and the United States senate has an opportunity to fix it. We have an opportunity to ensure that the American People stay protected. And healthy during this Public Health crisis. But my colleagues on the other side are stopping us from moving forward. And the American People need to understand what just happened here. As a result of this objection, i get to tell my omaha firefighters that their safety and the health and safety of our Healthcare Providers and nebraska and across this country are at risk. Center from hawaii. In response, im certainly not arguing there is not a need for respirators so let me be very clear. This provides an immunity for respirator manufacturers from this point onward. So again, i need to reiterate this has nothing to do with recognizing the need for respirators. But i am arguing, is there should be a timeframe for this. This protection is supposed to be during a Public Health crisis. And i am saying the way the house is approaching this is this protection during respirator manufacturers for a period of four years. We can certainly evaluated at that point. So clearly, my objection does not mean the death for this amendment. It means we should work it out so we can provide an appropriate timeframe. So i once again reiterate my objection to this quorum, the current form of this amendment. Mr. President. Center from hawaiis thematic ask unanimous consent that theyhe proceed to the immediate consideration of a bill that is at the desk. I further asked that the bill be considered red three times and pass, and the motion to be reconsidered d considered and laid uponab the table with no intervening action or debate. So is objection . Senator from nebraska so observing the right to reject objects, the legislation offered by my colleague, it is too narrow in scope. It does not cover all respirators currently recommended for the cdc for professionals who are treating patients with covid19 paid my colleagues know that. This is inadequate. The legislation that the senior senator from arizona and i offered covers all cdc recommended respirators. Moreover, our bill is not limited to the specific health emergency. But rather, responsibly addresses future Public Health respirator needs. We are looking at what is going to happen in the future. And right here, right now, the senate does have the opportunity to address these current emergencies and yes, future emergencies. By making sure that we can provide lifesaving equipment to the American People. So accordingly, i object. Objection is heard. Mr. President. Senator from hawaii. Once again i repeat this has nothing to do with stopping the Service Respirators for this particular prices to be included. As a necessary equipment under the current statute. So, i do think that we ought to be able to come together to come up with a reasonable approach that can be supported bipartisan way. Thank you, mr. President. All the speeches took place on the senate floor today. The chamber is done for the night and for the week. But this afternoon Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell cancel next weeks planned recess during a turn due to the ongoing issue with the coronavirus. Members plan to return to washington to continue to work on an economic aid package making his way to the house today. Next week we also expected debate on the authorization to on fisa. The house passed the measure yesterday and provisions are set to expire on sunday. You can file the senate live on cspan2 would members gavel back in monday at 3